Murari Gupta & Nityananda
Feeling both joyful and apprehensive, Murāri Gupta departed. He went home and took rest. In a dream, he saw Nityānanda, the most exalted of all pure devotees, dressed as a wrestler, coming towards him. He saw a great serpent spreading its hoods over the head of Nityānanda, who held a plow and a club in His hands. He saw that Nityānanda looked just like Haladhara, and he saw Viśvambhara fanning Him from behind. The Lord smiled and spoke to him in the dream, “Have you now understood, Murāri? You should consider Me junior.” The two Lords smiled as They looked at Murāri in the dream. After instructing Murāri, the two brothers disappeared.
On awakening, Murāri began to cry. He sighed deeply again and again and called out, “Nityānanda!” Murāri Gupta’s most chaste wife became frightened and called out, “Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!” Realizing that Nityānanda was the elder brother, Murāri joyfully went to see the Lord. The lotus-eyed Mahāprabhu was sitting with the brightly smiling Nityānanda at His right. Murāri first offered obeisances at the lotus feet of Nityānanda and then offered obeisances at the lotus feet of Viśvambhara. Viśvambhara smiled and said, “Why did you do this, Murāri?” Murāri replied, “O Lord, I have acted according to Your instruction. As a blade of dry grass is blown in the wind, all living entities act on the strength of Your potencies.” The Lord said, “O Murāri, you are very dear to Me. Therefore, I have informed you of this confidential truth.” The Lord then described His glories to Murāri, as the Lord’s beloved associate Gadādhara offered the Lord betel nuts from His left. Thereafter, the Lord said, “O Murāri, you are the best of My servants.” Saying this, the Lord gave Murāri His chewed betel remnants. Murāri respectfully accepted those remnants in his two hands. After honoring those remnants, Murāri became intoxicated with ecstasy. The Lord said, “O Murāri, quickly go and wash your hands.” Yet Murāri simply wiped his hands on his head. The Lord said, “Your caste is ruined. You have become contaminated by touching My remnants.”
As the Lord spoke, He became absorbed in the mood of the supreme controller. Grinding His teeth, He spoke with great resolve. “A sannyāsī named Prakāśānanda lives in Kāśī. That fellow enjoys cutting Me to pieces. He teaches Vedānta but does not accept My form. I gave him leprosy, yet he still does not understand. Unlimited universes are present within My body, so how does that fellow dare to claim My body is false? O Murāri, I am telling you the truth, for you are My servant. Anyone who does not accept My form is vanquished. The Supreme Lord’s form is served by Brahmā, Śiva, and Ananta. All demigods worship this form as their life and soul. Even the pious become purified by the touch of this form, so how does that fellow dare to claim My body is false? I openly reveal to you that I am eternal, My servants are eternal, and the servants of My servants are eternal. My pastimes and activities are eternal, and My abode is eternal. Anyone who says they are false cuts Me to pieces. By hearing My glories, all ignorance is destroyed. Yet sinful teachers say, ‘The Lord’s pastimes are false.’ Śiva leaves aside his clothes while relishing My glories. Lord Ananta, the sustainer of the universe, personally sings My glories. Personalities like Śukadeva and Nārada become intoxicated by hearing My glories. The greatness of My glories is described by the four Vedas. O Murāri, anyone who disregards such auspicious glories can never understand My incarnation.” By teaching Murāri, the Supreme Lord taught everyone, “My form, servants, pastimes, and abodes are all eternal.” The Lord personally taught the truth about Himself. One who does not accept this is vanquished. Within a short time, Viśvambhara regained His external consciousness and returned to His previous humble state. The Lord embraced Murāri and accepted him as His brother. He then mercifully spoke to Murāri with great affection. “O Murāri, you are truly My pure servant for you have realized the glories of Nityānanda. If even My servant has the slightest envy for Nityānanda, he is not dear to Me. O Murāri Gupta, go home for now. You have purchased Me because you have understood the glories of Nityānanda.” In this way, Murāri became such a recipient of the Lord’s mercy. Only Hanumān received mercy like Murāri. Murāri Gupta returned home in ecstasy, yet the Lord along with Nityānanda remained within his heart.
(Sri Caitanya Bhagavata Madhya-khaṇḍa 20.013 – 20.053)